Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of obtaining test data for a device under test, comprising: obtaining a first part of the test data by testing the device at first points of a range of parameters using progressive sampling; wherein obtaining the first part of the test data comprises: performing the progressive sampling to identify a set of first points; testing the device at the set of first points to produce first test results; and performing an interpolation using the first test results to generate grayscale data corresponding to the first part of the test data; identifying second points in the range of parameters based on the grayscale data, the second points being a predefined grayscale percentage away from a predefined value; and obtaining a second part of the test data by testing the device at the second points using adaptive sampling.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the first part further comprises: determining if a number of first points in the set of first points exceeds a threshold; and if the number of first points in the set does not exceed the threshold, perform progressive sampling, testing and interpolation.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, if the number of first points in the set exceeds the threshold, the second part is obtained, wherein obtaining the second part comprises: performing the adaptive sampling to identify a set of second points; testing the device at the set of second points to produce second test results; and performing an interpolation using the second test results to generate the second part of the test data.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein obtaining the second part further comprises: setting a metric relating to adaptive sampling; determining if there are additional points that meet the metric; performing adaptive sampling to identify another set of second points from the additional points; testing the device at the other set of second points to produce additional second test results; and performing an interpolation using the additional second test results to generate part of the test data.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: specifying parameters that encompass the test data, the parameters defining plural points that include the set of first points and the set of second points; determining if greater than a predetermined amount of the plural points have been subjected to testing; and if greater than the predetermined amount of the plural points have not been subjected to testing, obtaining a third part of the test data by testing the device at third points identified using progressive sampling.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: performing an interpolation using the second part of the test data to obtain missing parts of the test data; and displaying the test data using the first and second parts and the missing parts.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters define a grid having first and second dimensions, the first dimension corresponding to a first parameter relating to the device and the second dimension corresponding to a second parameter relating to the device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a semiconductor device and the test data is represented as a shmoo plot.
9. One or more machine-readable media configured to store instructions, which are executable, for use in obtaining test data for a device under test, the one or more machine-readable media being tangible media, the instructions for causing at least one machine to perform the following functions: obtaining a first part of the test data by testing the device at first points of a range of parameters using progressive sampling; wherein obtaining the first part of the test data comprises: performing the progressive sampling to identify a set of first points; testing the device at the set of first points to produce first test results; and performing an interpolation using the first test results to generate grayscale data corresponding to the first part of the test data; identifying second points in the range of parameters based on the grayscale data, the second points being a predefined grayscale percentage away from a predefined value; and obtaining a second part of the test data by testing the device at the second points using adaptive sampling.
10. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the first part further comprises: determining if a number of first points in the set of first points exceeds a threshold; and if the number of first points in the set does not exceed the threshold, perform progressive sampling, testing and interpolation.
11. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 10 , wherein, if the number of first points in the set exceeds the threshold, the second part is obtained, wherein obtaining the second part comprises: performing the adaptive sampling to identify a set of second points; testing the device at the set of second points to produce second test results; and performing an interpolation using the second test results to generate the second part of the test data.
12. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 11 , wherein obtaining the second part further comprises: setting a metric relating to adaptive sampling; determining if there are additional points that meet the metric; performing adaptive sampling to identify another set of second points from the additional points; testing the device at the other set of second points to produce additional second test results; and performing an interpolation using the additional second test results to generate part of the test data.
13. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are also for causing the at least one machine to perform the following functions: specifying parameters that encompass the test data, the parameters defining plural points that include the set of first points and the set of second points; determining if greater than a predetermined amount of the plural points have been subjected to testing; and if greater than the predetermined amount of the plural points have not been subjected to testing, obtaining a third part of the test data by testing the device at third points identified using progressive sampling.
14. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are also for causing the at least one machine to perform the following functions: performing an interpolation using the second part of the test data to obtain missing parts of the test data; and displaying the test data using the first and second parts and the missing parts.
15. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the parameters define a grid having first and second dimensions, the first dimension corresponding to a first parameter relating to the device and the second dimension corresponding to a second parameter relating to the device.
16. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the device comprises a semiconductor device and the test data is represented as a shmoo plot.
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April 14, 2009
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